Academics overview
Realize your potential
This is your invitation to pursue your greatest ambition. Every one of our programs is led by expert faculty who recognize talent and will connect you to opportunities you can’t find anywhere else.
Academic colleges
Get a deeper understanding of the NAU experience by exploring the college that has your major.
College of Arts and Letters
Join a tight-knit community that feels like a small liberal arts college with all the perks of a globally connected university. Set in a culturally vibrant mountain town, our campus and creative programs will launch you on a career path you’ll love to live—in the arts, business, education, languages, or public service.
College of Education
In the only nationally accredited teacher education program in Arizona, you’ll engage in demanding, hands-on coursework, performance assessments, and innovative teaching methods. Mentored by expert faculty, you’ll graduate as a competent professional, prepared to lead in the classroom and bring out the best in your students.
College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences
Join a diverse community of scholars who integrate fast-growing scientific knowledge with engineering, computer technology, and environmental and biological informatics. Here, as part of the next generation of scientists, you will conduct meaningful research and apply technical innovation to create a better world.
College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences
Partner with esteemed faculty to meet today’s challenges and uncover tomorrow’s solutions. Surrounded by one of the most ecologically diverse natural labs in the world, you can perform revolutionary research in 30 high-tech labs and institutes and develop an entrepreneurial approach to discovery.
College of Health and Human Services
Practice in state-of-the-art simulation environments and clinics statewide. You’ll develop skills to improve the health of those in your own community—and beyond. In evidence-based programs, you’ll collaborate with faculty through research that sparks healthcare innovation and encourages compassionate service.
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Tackle contemporary issues and conduct boundary-crossing research focusing on the scientific study of human behavior, justice, and culture. From archaeological digs to virtual reality creations, you’ll join with faculty and peers to build resilient, sustainable communities.
Graduate College
Engage in interdisciplinary scholarship and research in our culturally and ecologically rich setting. Build a lifelong network with exceptional mentors and professional partners and change the way we see the world. Choose from more than 100 graduate degrees and certificates in a diverse range of disciplines.
Honors College
Our accomplished faculty lead small, interactive classes for a deeply rewarding educational experience. Here, you can join a diverse living and learning community, paint with a master in the Grand Canyon, restore a river delta, and cultivate citizenship through serving local and global communities.
The W. A. Franke College of Business
Learn to build an ethical business, thrive in a competitive market, and succeed in your chosen career. Engage with dedicated, experienced faculty mentors and highly motivated peers in a collaborative atmosphere where you will grow from a student into a leader.
NAU Online
Earn your fully accredited online bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees through NAU Online, voted the number one online college in the nation.
Choose from our two flexible, innovative online degree formats to advance your career goals and save you time and money.
Develop a new perspective
We’re committed to creating an environment that fosters academic curiosity and intellectual growth.
A library designed for discovery
With over half a million books, a diverse range of online and digital resources, and a rich special collections archive focused on Arizona and the Colorado Plateau, Northern Arizona University’s Cline Library will help you explore the topics that engage and excite you.
Researchers who push boundaries
Our research enterprise is a critical aspect of our investment in academics that go further. Our faculty, staff, and students undertake groundbreaking projects in STEM, social science, and humanities fields, supported by a vibrant ecosystem of centers and institutes.
Meet some of our professors
Read this panel:
College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences
CEFNS | Biological Sciences
“The unifying theme of my research is the evolution of behavior,” says Dr. Kiisa Nishikawa. “My interest in how behavior evolves has led to interdisciplinary studies in a wide range of fields, including evolutionary ecology, behavioral neuroscience, biomechanics, and muscle physiology.”
Read this panel:
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
SBS | Ethnic Studies
First-generation student, NAU alum, and author of “Rage, Courage, Encourage: Citizenship in the College Classroom,” Dr. T. Mark Montoya knows intimately the challenges some students face. “Doing the work I do with first-generation students like myself, I want them to really understand that they’re not alone,” he says. “It’s very personal for me.”
Read this panel:
The W. A. Franke College of Business
Franke | Hotel and Restaurant Management
“We are thrilled to be recognized by the Sales Education Foundation as a top university sales program,” says Dr. Kevin Trainor. “We have accomplished a lot with the sales program in a relatively short period of time, and we will continue to enhance the sales education experience for our students.”